Sussexsport staff are preparing for a challenging cycle ride to raise money for their nominated charity, the Brighton-based children’s charity Rockinghorse.
Five members of Sussexsport and a Sussex alumna will be saddling up to complete a 270-kilometre round trip from the university campus to France. The three-day adventure will begin at the Sport Centre early on Friday (6 May), with the group pedaling to Newhaven to catch the morning ferry to Dieppe.
From Dieppe, the group will cycle along the coast to Fécamp, then head inland to Rouen before beginning the circular journey back to Sussex.
The team will be cycling a gruelling 90km each day. They plan to arrive back on campus on Sunday (8 May), cycling through Brighton city centre to complete the final stage of their journey.
The challenge was the idea of Sussexsport Duty Manager and keen cyclist Ben Ospalak. In addition to raising much-needed funds for Rockinghorse - the official fundraising arm of Sussex’s Royal Alexandra Children’s Hospital - Ben hopes that the trek will inspire others to get cycling.
Ben said: “I love to ride; it helps to clear the head, lets you explore new places and can be a really enjoyable social activity.
“The idea of cycling to France was one of the first things that came into my head when I was asked to help out as the Sussexsport charity fundraiser organiser. It gets staff together for a morale boost, creates a challenge that promotes health and wellbeing and is a great way to raise money for our chosen charity.”
On his return from France, Ben will be leading mountain biking sessions for Sussex staff as part of Commit to Get Fit month.
Sussexsport has supported Rockinghorse for the past two years, raising more than £2,000 so far. You can donate to the team via the Sussexsport JustGiving page.